Corners and Edges: The Church as a Jigsaw

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Corners and Edges The Church as a Jigsaw

• Jon Wright
• 1st May 2005

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The Oasis Service Schedule.

• Just finished a short season on God
• Included celebration of the Jewish feast of
  Passover
• Now starting 3-4 weeks on Man
• Finishing on Jesus and salvation
• Next week is a Mothers Day family service

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The Fall Of Man.

• Gen 126-27, 6th day, God created Man
• Created to work and care over the Garden of Eden,
  named all the animals, ruled over them
• Man needed a partner, so woman was created from
  man Gen 221-22
• The serpent confused the woman who lead the Man
  to eat from the tree of Knowledge and Man then
  knew sin Gen 31-13
• Man was banished from the Garden of Eden and made
  to work for his food Gen 317-24

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Jesus - the bridge back to relationship with God.

• Jesus died on the cross, his blood was spilt as a
  sacrifice so that our sins were forgiven. John
  316
• Jesus walked in the world for 33 yrs, 3 in active
  ministry
• He trained apostles, taught, healed
• He sent the apostles out on the great commission
  Matt 2818-20

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Man - now empowered to spread the Gospel.

• The Christian body is the Church, which made up
  from people
• The body is like the human body, there are many
  parts, e.g. eyes, arms, stomach, e.g. Baptist,
  Charismatic, Orthodox etc
• The body is meant to function in unity not as
  individuals, 1 Cor 3,
• There is one body and one Spirit, Eph 44-6

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Different parts have different roles.

• Some parts appear more important than other - but
  looks can be deceiving.
• To do a jigsaw, easiest to start with corners and
  edges and then fill in from the outside
• A single missing piece from a jigsaw ruins the
  satisfaction of doing it in the first place, even
  if that piece represents 1/1000.

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The corners and edge pieces Five-fold ministry
Eph 411-12

• Jesus is the head of the Church - (however today
  were talking about the role of Man).
• Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher
• These are offices, and have ministry gifts to aid
  in carrying out God specific purposes
• The purpose of the five mentioned ministries is
  to prepare Gods people for works of service so
  the body of Christ may be built up.
• There are many other ministries, e.g. worship,
  hospitality, they are no more or less important

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The Office of the Apostle.

• Apostle means sent one, they are sent with the
  full power and authority of the one sending them
  available to them,
• Pioneering new Churches
• Spiritual Fathers, 1 Cor 415
• A ministry of warfare, (2 Cor 104-5)
• Often work with Prophets (Paul/Silas)

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The Office of the Prophet.

• A big ministry,
• Brings words from the Lord which can be
• Predictive (Acts 2110-11)
• Directive (Acts 131-3)
• Corrective (Act 15 22-29)
• Often linked with a gift in teaching
• Prophets often carry the bags of another prophet
  as part of training (Moses/Joshua)

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The Office of the Evangelist.

• Evangelists extend the frontiers of Gods
  Kingdom, they bring the good news
• Work closely with the Apostles, as the Churches
  start the evangelists go and gather the people in
• All can evangelise, e.g. an ideal evangelist for
  School teachers is another school teacher

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The Office of the Pastor.

• Pastors One who tends sheep or cares for flocks
• Their primary duty is not to teach (as often
  happens) but instead to mend up the broken
• However teaching is part of their duties
• In modern days times the office of the Pastor has
  taken on roles that are strictly not theirs.

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The Office of the Teacher.

• Teachers instruct the body at large, (not just
  limited to Sunday School)
• They are well grounded in the truths of the Bible
• They are often overshadowed (unfairly) in the
  modern Church by the Pastors
• They teach correction (v4 2 not just 2),
• They are held accountable for their teachings,
  James 31

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How the Five-Fold should work in unity.

• The Prophets declare the word and will of the
  Lord over a new place
• The Apostles start the Church/ministry
• The Evangelists spread the Gospel
• The Teachers disciple the new believers (and old
  ones too!)
• The Pastors care for all of the above people
• The body of the Church is built up

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What about the middle pieces?

• The five-fold create the framework for other
  ministries to operate
• Each person in the Church has a role, we dont
  have any blank pieces
• All are valued, a missing piece affects the whole
  picture
• It may take a few tries to find your position

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You can change position.
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So whats your ministry?

• As well as the five-fold there are
• Worship, dance, cleaning, follow-up
• Hospitality, outreach support, watchman
• many many more positions in the Church
• Need to pray and ask God where is my position?
• Can ask others to pray for you

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Summary

• The five-fold ministries are to prepare Gods
  people to do the work of ministry
• There are many many more ministries and each
  person has a ministry (or more than one!)
• All are important, often the more hidden they are
  the more essential they are
• It may take a few attempts to find your position,
  but dont give up God is the God of 2nd chances!
• The body is not complete without you in it!